


we're different and that's okay

by Author_Incognito



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Autistic Newt Scamander, Credence Barebone Heals, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, this is going to be like half autistic newt and half credence recovering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 19:19:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9781346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Author_Incognito/pseuds/Author_Incognito
Summary: In which Newt finds Credence on the ship as he is going home, and he vows to help him in any way that he can.





	

   Newt had expected to find many things in his cabin on the ship. A bed to sleep on, a dresser to put his things in. But what he had not expected to find was the young obscurial whom he had thought perished in New York just a few short weeks ago.

    But the minute he entered his room that was exactly what he did find. And now he found himself sitting cross-legged on the bed across from Credence, still somewhat in state of shock.

   Newt glanced up at the young man before him, hardly daring to believe that he was still alive. He had seen him practically be blown apart by MACUSA, yet here Credence was. Not looking particularly his very best, but here all the same.

   “How . . . how did you?” Newt asks him, trying as hard as he could to keep his eyes on the boy and not look away as he usually does when talking to people.

   “I -I’m not sure.” Credence mutters. “One minute I was just a . . . a monster and the next I was myself again and I ... saw you get on this boat, so I followed you.” He hunches up, curling into himself even more than he was before. “I’m sorry I just . . . I thought that maybe you could help me.”

    Newt smiles sadly at the young man. “Credence you are not a monster. You never have been and you never will be. And don’t worry I will do everything in my power to help- “Newt says as he reaches out to give what he hopes is a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but the moment he touches Credence he freezes.

  The jacket – Credence’s jacket. It- it feels _wrong_. Newt immediately snarls his nose and wrenches his hand away, which he then immediately begins to shake vigorously to get rid of that awful sensation. But it’s still there, he can still feel it tingling on his hand.

    Without thinking Newt lurches away from Credence and the bed and toward his beloved suitcase, which he had previously dropped near the door after seeing Credence in his room. He quickly checks to make sure that the case is set to muggle-worthy and flings it open. He digs around for a few seconds but very soon finds what he is looking for. His, soft, wonderful scarf from his time at Hogwarts. He picks it up and begins to run his hand over it, savoring the texture of it.

    He closes his eyes and sighs as that awful feeling is driven away. But as he does this, he hears a sob come from somewhere nearby. He stiffens and turns back around. Credence has his face in his hands, and from the shaking of the shoulders and the sounds coming from him, Newt concludes that he is crying. Oh, no. He hadn’t meant to do that.

     “Credence, what’s wrong?” Newt asks, setting his scarf back down and walking carefully back over to Credence. In response Credence flinches away. Newt pauses, completely unaware of what caused this new development. He thought that Credence trusted him but now . . . oh merlin what had he done wrong? “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

    Credence sniffs and manages to choke out  “you think I’m disgusting.”

  “What?” Newt asks, now extremely confused. “No, I don’t! I think you’re a wonderful human being. What on Earth made you think that?”

   It takes a while for Credence to answer him again, but when he is able to speak again he says “You – you touched me and you looked-“ but he can’t finish and another sob rips through his throat once more.

    And finally Newt understands. Credence had thought that Newt’s reaction to his jacket was a reaction to him. Oh, dear.

   “Credence, no, that’s not – that wasn’t because of you.”

  “Then what was it?” Credence demands.

  “It was your jacket.” Newt mutters, looking down at the floor.

     Credence looks up at him, nose running and eyes red from crying. “What?” he questions, confused.

    “It was your jacket.” Newt repeats. “I’m sorry it’s just felt . . . bad.” Newt says, not really sure how to explain it. It wasn’t just bad. It was uncomfortable and distracting, almost painful. But he didn’t know really how to describe that to Credence, so he was left with just ‘bad’.

   Credence looks down at his jacket, tugging at the sleeves. “What . . . what do you mean? It . . . it feels just fine to me.”

   “Oh, no, don’t worry Credence. It’s nothing to do to with you. It’s me. Some fabrics and stuff I just . . . well, let’s just say they feel very uncomfortable to me. It’s been like that since I was a small child.”

   Credence cocks his head his head. “Is it a witch thing?” 

   “What? Um, no. It’s not.”

     Credence nods, then says ever so softly, “so . . . “

    “So what?” Newt asks.

     “You’ll . . . help me.” Credence sounds desperate, and Newt swears he feels his heart break a little inside.

    “Yes, of course I will help you Credence.” He says, sitting back down on the bed and taking Credence by the hand. A hand that feels similar to his own, but Newt knows that Credence did not receive these scars from animals.

   Credence’s eyes filled with tears yet again, this time from relief rather than pain. And then Newt finds himself hugging him, although being extra careful not to touch credence’s jacket with his bare skin again.


End file.
